Henry belcher and frederick easom



No. 620,833. Patented Mar. .7, I899; H. BELCHER 8:, F. EASDM.

JOINT FOR BICYCLE FRAMES.

(Application filed Jan. 8, 1898.)

(No Model.)

min/asses W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY BELCHER AND FREDERI CK EASOM, OF BEESTON, ENGLAND.

JOINT FOR BlCYCLE-FRAM ES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,833, dated March7,1899.

Application filed January 8, l 8 9 8- To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, HENRY BELCHER and FREDERICK EASOM, subjects of theQueen of Great Britain, residing at Beeston, England, have invented newand useful Improvements in Joints for Bicycle-Frames, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to means for fixing the ends of the tubes ofbicycle-frames in their lugs or sockets without brazing; but it may alsobe applied to the fixing together of the tubular parts of handle-bars,seat-pillars, forks, and other tubular parts of velocipedes.

Our invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combinationof parts hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accom= panyingdrawings, for detachably fixing the ends of the frame-tubes and othertubular parts of velocipedes in their lugs and sockets, whereby a verysecure attachment of the said tubes and parts can be readily and quicklyeffected and when required for transit, storage, or repair the saidtubes and parts may be readily detached and packed into a small compass.Further, by the arrangement constituting our invention the manufactureof bicycle-frames and the like is simplified and the temper of the metalof the tubes is not interfered with. The said construction andarrangement also provide a more efficient connection of the frame-tubesand other tubular parts of velocipedes than is obtained in detachablejoints of the ordinary construction, the accidental detachment ofjointsconstructed according to our invention being practically impossible.

Our invention is especially useful where the frame-tubes and othertubular parts of velocipedes and like vehicles are made of aluminium oraluminium alloys in consequence of the difficulty which exists inobtaining a secure attachment of the parts of articles made of aluminiumor aluminium alloys by brazing.

We will describe our invention in connection with the attachment of thetop horizontal tube of the frame of a safety-bicycle to the top lug ofthe said frame.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure1 is a side elevation of the top lug and portion of the top 'uated inthe lug a are slit.

Serial No. 666,076. (No model.)

ings, the letter a indicates the top lug of the frame, and b the tophorizontal tube of the same, detachably fixed in the lug a. The oppositesides of that portion of the tube I) sit- In the slit end of the tube 1)is a short tube or liner 6, slit longitudinally at opposite sides nearlyfrom end to end. Each semitubular part of the slit liner (2 has crossingit transverselya halftube 6 6 the ends of the half-tubes e e opening onopposite sides of the slit liner 6, the opposite open ends registeringwith holes formed in the side of the slit tube 1) and lug a. A taperedbolt 0 is passed transversely through the lug a, split tube 1), andlongitudinally through the divided cross-tube e of the liner 8, the saidbolt being prevented from turning by laterally-projecting ribs or webs c0 formed on the larger end of the bolt 0 and engaging correspondingslots formed in .the lug or socket a. The smaller end of the bolt 0 isthreaded, as most clearly shown in Fig. 2, and over said threaded end isscrewed a nut d. By screwing up the nut 61 the fapered bolt 0 is drawnthrough the divided Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the draw- 7cross-tube e c and separates or spreads apart the semicylindricalhalf-tubes 6 e thus expanding the slit liner c and slit endof the tube 6within the lug or socket to and firmly binding said tube 1) in the lugor socket a.

Where the tube Z2 is of steel and of gage or thickness to render the useof a liner unnecessary, the divided cross-tube e e is fixed directly inthe end of the tube 1), as is represented in Fig. 4.

If desired, greater security. may be obtained by making the lug aslightly conical internally, the interior of the said lug being madelarger at its inner end than at its outer end. It will be understoodthat on the expansion of the liner 8, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, or separationof the blocks e e the slit end of the tube b takes the conical form ofthe interior of the lug a.

The application of our invention to the fixing of other parts of cycleand like frames in their lugs and tothe fixing together of the tubularparts of handle-bars, seat-pillars, and other tubular parts ofvelocipedes and like vehicles differs in no essential respect from itsapplication to the fixing of the top horizontal tube of a safety-bicyclein the top lug, as hereinbefore described.

, Further, we wish it to be understood that our improvements areapplicable to the fixing of tubes and other parts in their lugs 0rsockets, which tubes and other parts have a form in cross-section otherthan circular.

Having described our invention, what we claim is- 1. In a bicycle-framejoint, the combination with a tubular lug a, of a frame-tube I) providedwith a longitudinally-slit end arranged in said lug, a slit liner 6within the end of the tube 1) a divided cross-tube e e fixedtransversely in the slit liner, a tapered bolt passed through oppositeand coincident holes in the lug and slit frame-tube and through thedivided cross-tube of the liner and a nut for drawing up said bolt,substantially as described.

2. In a bicycle-frame joint, the combination with a tubular lug a of aframe-tube I) provided with a longitudinally-slit end arranged in saidlug, a divided cross-tube disposed transversely in said frame-tube, atapered bolt passed through opposite and coincident holes in the lug andslit frame-tubc and through the divided cross-tube, and a nut fordrawing up said bolt, substantially as described.

3. In a bicycle-frame joint, the combination with a tubular lug a, of aframe-tube 1) provided with a longitudinally-slit end arranged in saidlug, a slit liner 6 within said slit end of frame tube, a cross tubefixed transversely in said liner and divided longitudinally into twosemicylindrical half-tubes c (2 the slits in the frame-tube b, liner 6and cross-tube e lying in the same plane the said divided cross-tubebeing tapered as shown, a tapered bolt passed through opposite andcoincident holes in the lug and frame-tube and liner and through thedivided cross-tube and a nut for drawing up said bolt substantially asdescribed.

4. Ina bicycle-frame joint, the c0mbination with a tubular lug a, of aframe-tube b provided with a longitudinally-slit end arranged in saidlug, a cross tube disposed transversely in said tube and dividedlongitudinallyinto two semicylindrical half-tubes 6 e the slits in theframe-tube and crosstnbe lying in the same plane and said dividedcross-tube being tapered as shown, a tapered bolt passed throughopposite and c0- incident holes in the lug and frame-tube and throughthe divided cross-tube and a nut for drawing up said bolt substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

HENRY BELOHER. FREDERICK EASOM.

\Vitnesses:

WM. WI-IITTLEY, W. F. FRIEND.

